


Waiting by the Shore.

by lilyhearted



Category: ONEUS (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Angst, It's happy but also angsty, M/M, Magical Realism, Selkie!Oneus besides Hwanwoong, Selkies, Unconventional Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:00:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25155880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilyhearted/pseuds/lilyhearted
Summary: Hwanwoong loved the sea,and they loved him back.( A ONEUS selkie! AU)
Relationships: Kim Geonhak | Leedo/Yeo Hwanwoong, Kim Youngjo | Ravn/Yeo Hwanwoong, Lee Keonhee/Yeo Hwanwoong, Lee Seoho/Yeo Hwanwoong, OT6 - Relationship, Son Dongju | Xion/Yeo Hwanwoong, Yeo Hwanwoong/Everyone
Comments: 12
Kudos: 98





	Waiting by the Shore.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!  
> I'm starting to think I'm just going to end up writing a fic for every single one of my favorite groups before writing two fics for a group. But I honestly do have some other fics planned for ONEUS that I hope I can write, and ones that will probably be a little longer and have a much more conventional format. 
> 
> The format here is different from anything else I've done, but I wanted to have it sort posed like traditional storytelling, since this story is heavily inspired by my love of folklore. I hope the formatting makes for alright reading and that you enjoy!

Hwanwoong dragged the trunk down to the shore. 

It was almost as big as him and more than once Keonhee had joked that they could just toss Hwanwoong inside. 

He had to drag it with both hands and it left deep marks in the sand behind him. 

It took him an hour to drag it down to the shore. 

By the time he reached the waves, his chest was heaving and he gasped for breath.

But the sun was just coming over the horizon.

With aching limbs, Hwanwoong flopped himself down into the sand beside the trunk to wait. 

As the sun crested over the water, he began to see dark heads breaking over the waves and beady black eyes staring at him. 

Hwanwoong watched with amusement as the first seal slid onto the shore belly first, and then it turned into a competition between the other four to see who could slide further up onto the sand. 

They began to shed their skin.

The process left Hwanwoong breathless every time, with the way the soft looking fur would peel back and human skin would emerge from underneath. 

The group was distinctly not shy in their nudity as they wrapped their shed fur pelts around their shoulders and did little to hide anything else. 

Before, Hwanwoong would go red in the face and avert his eyes, but now he watched with appreciation and amusement.

Standing, Hwanwoong brushed his hands off on his torn jeans and reached behind himself to flip open the lid of the trunk, pulling out the large bundle of clothing inside to set aside. 

And then he waited.

He knew what was coming next. 

Dongju approached him first, he had never liked the chase. 

Instead, he would let Hwanwoong draw him in gently and press kisses to his salty cheeks before placing a lingering one to his lips. 

When Dongju sweetly sighed into his mouth Hwanwoong would reach behind him and carefully pull the pelt from around his shoulders. 

Dongju’s pelt was always the first to be delicately laid in the bottom of the trunk, protected by all the others that would lay on top of it. 

Youngjo was second because he didn’t really like the chase either, he just liked teasing Hwanwoong.

He always held his pelt just out of reach, taking the height advantage and making Hwanwoong roll up onto his toes against his chest to even begin to attempt at reaching for it. 

But Hwanwoong had other ways of getting it within reach, most of which relied on placing soft mouthed kisses along Youngjo’s collarbones, up to his neck, along his jawline. 

Youngjo’s kisses were always hungrier than Dongju’s, but he sighed into Hwanwoong in the same way. 

The hand holding his pelt aloft dropped minutely when he relaxed, and Hwanwoong always took the opportunity to snag his pelt and run away with it, ignoring Youngjo’s grumbling protests that their kiss was interrupted. 

His pelt was laid neatly over Donju’s in the trunk. 

Third was always a toss up between Geonhak and Keonhee. 

They both liked the chase, but it depended on how much energy they had. 

The goal was to not tire Hwanwoong out too early. 

Keonhee would let out a scream and run down the sand, making Hwanwoong follow after him. 

Usually, it was Keonhee’s long limbs being unused to human legs that would work to Hwanwoong’s benefit. 

He’d get a fair way down the shore before his stupidly long legs would get tangled beneath him and he’d be sent sprawling into the sand. 

Hwanwoong would take full advantage of that, jumping on him and straddling his torso, snatching the pelt away from him before Keonhee could think about getting up. 

They kissed in soft giggles as Hwanwoong clutched the pelt he had won to his chest. 

Geonhak only let his impatience show when Hwanwoong was laying the previous pelt into the trunk, a firm arm around Hwanwoong’s middle dragging him away before he could properly smooth it out. 

With Geonhak, there wasn’t any running. 

Hwanwoong let out a huff of air as he was unceremoniously thrown onto the sand. 

It was warm underneath his back, and Hwanwoong already despaired at all the sand he was going to have to wash off later when Geonhak descended on him. 

They rolled around in the sand for a long time, Geonhak was stronger but Hwanwoong was quicker. 

Often he was able to get the upper hand, but Geonhak would turn it around before he could close his fingers around his pelt. 

In between shoving Hwanwoong into the sand, Geonhak would nuzzle into his neck, press tender kisses to his forehead, teasingly nip at his lower lip. 

The chase was always an expression of love, no one was trying to get hurt. 

Eventually, Hwanwoong’s hand would find soft fur and he could drag the pelt from Geonhak’s shoulders. 

They both would lay in the sand catching their breath for a moment before Hwanwoong would get up to lay Geonhak’s pelt in the chest and smooth out the previous one. 

Seoho was always last. 

Sometimes Hwanwoong didn’t know if Seoho loved the chase so much as he  _ needed _ it. 

Needed to know that someone would chase him to the ends of the earth to make him stay. 

The rest of the boys settled into the sand to watch them begin their dance. 

Seoho was like the wind, cackling wildly as he raced past Hwanwoong and up the shoreline. 

He was much surer on his feet than Keonhee was. 

Even if Hwanwoong did manage to catch him, Seoho would roll him into the sand and escape the cage of his arms to continue running. 

This would last for hours, and Hwanwoong’s tired limbs would be screaming in protest as he dashed down the beach after Seoho for the hundredth time. 

Though Seoho would never admit it, Hwanwoong knew that he would slow down when it looked like Hwanwoong was close to keeling over. 

It always ended with Hwanwoong tacking Seoho in the sand and finally pinning his arms over his head. 

Biting kisses passed between them as Hwanwoong held Seoho’s wrists with one hand while he pulled his pelt from beneath him with the other. 

Only then did the kisses become soft and loving, and Seoho’s eyes curled into crescents he was smiling so hard. 

The last pelt was placed neatly on top of the others, and Hwanwoong let the lid fall shut with a heavy thud. 

A lock was slid neatly into place and the key was placed on a necklace around his neck. 

Once clothing had been passed out and worn, they could begin their trek back up the shore. 

There were tears of pain in Hwanwoong’s eyes as he closed his fingers around the handle of the trunk and began to drag it back. 

Every muscle in his body protested the movement, and not for the first time he looked longingly at the muscle in Geonhak and Seoho’s arms. 

But this was his task, only he could do it. 

Only when the trunk had been successfully been dragged to the foot of their overly large bed did everyone fall upon him. 

Geonhak lifted him easily into his arms.

Keonhee was already by his side with a glass of water.

Youngjo stroked his hair that was sticky with sweat. 

Dongju curled around him on the bed when Geonhak set him down.

Seoho took his other side, whispering sweet assurances in his ear. 

Hwanwoong would sleep then, safe in the knowledge that those he loved were home. 

When he woke, there was dinner ready and a table set for six. 

Tears ran down his cheeks as he sat down for dinner, and the other five would crowd around him, holding him until he could calm down.

The days seemed to grow brighter from then on. 

Going to the market hand in hand with Keonhee and smiling brightly at the old lady from down the street who remarked how nice it was that “those five handsome boys of yours returned”. 

Keohee had laughed and kissed Hwanwoong’s cheek dramatically, swinging their hands between them. 

They made a game to find the most ridiculous thing they could at the market.

Keonhee usually won, and demanded more kisses as his reward.

They all laughed when the children in town once again followed Geonhak around like little ducklings, begging with pleading eyes and hands for him to lift them in the air. 

Hwanwoong was the one to save him by jumping on Geonhak’s back to claim him and reminding the children gently that they still would have time to see him. 

Geonhak had hitched Hwanwoong higher on his back and pressed a soft kiss to the back of his hand where it was looped around his neck. 

In the early morning Seoho urgently took Hwanwoong’s hand and led him down to the beach. 

Together they would sit and watch as whales crested the waves, occasionally jumping out of the water which made Seoho laugh in delight. 

When the pod had passed they would make an elaborate sandcastle in the sand until the others came down to find them. 

Dongju would find him in the afternoon when the heat would make both of them drowsy. 

There was a spot they loved, a large tree behind the house with wide branches that provided shade from the overbearing sun. 

Hwanwoong would fall asleep soundly with his arm cushioning Dongju’s head and the other’s arm wrapped comfortably around his middle. 

The stars shone brightly overhead when Youngjo led Hwanwoong out onto their porch. 

Gentle hands ran through Hwanwoong’s hair as he melted into Youngjo’s side, listening to Youngjo explain the constellations. 

Hwanwoong would patiently allow Youngjo to take his hands to guide him in pointing out the invisible ties between the stars. 

Night was for all of them to be together. 

It was for six bodies coiled together on an overly large bed. 

Sometimes nights were for sleeping, for soft breath and protective arms, a giggle when one of them started snoring. 

Sometimes they were for passion, for sweet nothings whispered into ears and moans that filled the night, for sweat lingering on bodies after they laid back to catch their breath. 

Sometimes they were for comforting, when Hwanwoong would wake up in the middle of the night with a cry and five pairs of arms would immediately reach for him. 

As the air grew colder, more nights were needed for comfort. 

Hwanwoong watched with a heavy heart as their gazes turned from him to the ocean. 

They didn’t mean to do it, and would apologize if Hwanwoong mentioned it, but they couldn’t help the way their eyes would stray to the waves. 

Their fingers would trail over the chest at the end of their bed with an equal amount of longing. 

But they would hold Hwanwoong tighter, kiss him longer, tell him they loved him over and over and over again. 

Hwanwoong would spend more nights crying quietly where he was tucked between all of them. 

When the others weren’t watching him, he’d look up weather reports with dread. 

Seoho was the one who caught him doing it most often, who would slip his hands over Hwanwoong’s eyes while someone else would gently pry the phone from his fingers. 

The first sign of frost was usually a joyful moment, a small sign from nature that winter was near. 

The sight of frost on the windows sent Hwanwoong to the floor, tears flowing down his cheeks and gasping for breath. 

Geonhak coiled his arms around Hwanwoong and pulled him into his lap while Youngjo whispered comforting words into his hair. 

Dongju wouldn’t leave his side that whole day.

Everyone puttered around the house making sure absolutely everything was in good repair. 

Keonhee fed Hwanwoong all the best bits from his dinner plate that night.

They stripped Hwanwoong of his clothes before they even made it to the bedroom, and spent the night as close as possible, skin to skin. 

In the morning, the light had never seemed so dull. 

Hwanwoong was woken early by careful prodding to his shoulder. 

Five sets of eyes watched as he sleepily pulled himself from bed and dressed. 

There were already more tears on his cheeks as Hwanwoong grabbed the handle of the trunk and started dragging it across the floor. 

The trunk felt heavier on this part of the trip than it ever did on any of the others.

Hwanwoong could see the glossiness of tears on everyone else’s cheeks as they followed slowly behind him. 

At the shore once more, the trunk settled heavily into the sand and the six of them stared at it for a moment with equal amounts of dread. 

Finally, Hwanwoong reached around his neck to unclasp the key, leaning down to unlock the trunk before he lost his momentum. 

They crowded in then, warm hands on his shoulder, his waist, his arms as he opened the lid with a new determination. 

He didn’t want that memory to taste sour when he remembered it on cold nights. 

The first pelt he drew out was Geonhak’s. 

Strong Geonhak, who was trying to keep a stony face, but would be able to lead the rest of them into the waves. 

Geonhak, who crushed Hwanwoong to his chest with strong arms and kissed him hard. 

Hwanwoong trembled when he gently pried the pelt from his fingers. 

The next pelt he pulled out of the chest was Keonhee’s. 

The tallest of them had tears streaming down his cheeks that made Hwanwoong coo despite his own tears and reach up to wipe them as best he could. 

Their kiss tasted salty and sweet, with Keonhee’s large hands cradling Hwanwoong’s face. 

Keonhee was still pressing lingering kisses to Hwanwoong’s lips as he took his pelt. 

Arms wrapped around Hwanwoong from behind as he drew the next pelt out. 

Youngjo pressed soothing kisses to the back of his neck as Hwanwoong’s fingers curled into the fur of his pelt. 

When Hwanwoong turned around, Youngjo kissed him for a while longer, hands roaming Hwanwoong’s body like he was trying to memorize how he felt. 

A gentle tug was all it took to have the pelt slipping from his fingers. 

The fourth pelt was always the hardest, and Hwanwoong took his time removing it from the bottom of the trunk. 

Dongju looked at him with sad eyes and his lower lip jutting out as Hwanwoong approached him. 

Hwanwoong teased him for the pouting lip and pressed a kiss there before whispering soft reassurances that he would be alright, that they just needed to worry about themselves. 

They kissed one last time as Hwanwoong draped the pelt around Dongju’s shoulders. 

The last pelt into the trunk was also the last to leave it. 

Seoho curled his hand into Hwanwoong’s as they watched the others begin to slip into the waves. 

His free hand turned Hwanwoong’s face, pressed kisses to his cheeks and his closed eyelids, murmuring some of the same soft reassurances that Hwanwoong had just given to Dongju. 

Despite being the most reluctant to give up his pelt, Seoho was also the most hesitant to take it back, Hwanwoong had to almost shove it at his chest to get him to take it. 

Hwangwoong watched as Seoho ran after the others, turning back right before the water to blow an exaggerated kiss in his direction. 

He watched until he couldn’t see the dark heads bobbing above the waves, and then he kept watching. 

He sat in the sand until his body was numb from the cold and the light was golden as the sun had started sinking behind him. 

Only then did he get to his feet, feeling as hollow and empty as the trunk he dragged back up the shore. 

The house was empty when he returned. 

The rooms seemed so much larger as he dragged the empty trunk through them until it had taken the spot at the end of the bed once again.

The picture on his dresser was picked up and clutched to his chest as he slid onto a bed that was far too big for one. 

His fingers traced over five young boys grinned happily at the camera as they stood around a younger version of Hwanwoong, who looked astonished at the pile of seal pelts in his lap. 

He fell asleep with the picture laid out beside him, tears drying on his cheeks as he dreamed of warmer days.

Hwanwoong dreamed of a day months from then, when he would drag the trunk down to the shore.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I really appreciate everyone who leaves kudos and comments! Also feel free to come and ask questions on my [twitter](https://twitter.com/lilyhearted)
> 
> Notes:  
> Okay so for those of you who are content to just have this story as it is, feel free to not read this, I just thought I would provide a little context for anyone who might want it!
> 
> Selkies are a part of Scottish Folklore, they’re a seal that can become human by the removal of their pelt. 
> 
> Without their seal skin, selkies cannot return to the sea, which is why a lot of stories around selkie’s surround humans stealing the pelt and trapping the selkie with them. 
> 
> There’s a lot of interesting folklore surrounding selkies, I totally recommend reading it!
> 
> In this case, Hwanwoong grew up near what used to be a really large Selkie colony on the seaside. The rest of the boys, Youngjo, Seoho, Geonhak, Keonhee and Dongju used to come out of the water to play with him whenever his parents would bring him down to the shore. 
> 
> When Hwanwoong was around 12, they all decided that they loved him and they were going to give Hwanwoong their pelts so they could stay the whole warm season with him. Of course, their parents made them all take their pelts back until they were old enough. Hwanwoong’s parents couldn’t support six growing boys. 
> 
> They started staying permanently during the warm season when Hwangwoong’s parents moved more inland and left him the house there when he was eighteen. 
> 
> There was never any pressure for any of them to give up their pelt and stay with Hwanwoong, it was always a silent understanding that if the love they had felt was childish infatuation, or if they loved each other more, they didn’t have to give that up. But they just seemed to fall more in love as they got older, with each other and with Hwanwoong. 
> 
> So that leads up to the beginning of this story, where Hwanwoong collects their pelts once a year with a ritual ‘chase’ and then returns them once it starts getting cold because he knows they would never be entirely happy being away from the water. 
> 
> I also want to note that although this story focuses on Hwanwoong and his love with the others, they all love each other as well and have quiet moments together.


End file.
